One of NASA's more prolific space-based photographers is at it again.
Astronaut Don Petit, currently in his second stint aboard the international space station, has unveiled new photos he's taken of star trails -- long-duration nighttime exposures that show the motion of the stars though the sky.
Of course, the stars aren't moving; Petit is, at about 17,500 miles an hour. His unique vantage point 250 miles above Earth also means that the planet's rotation can be seen in the photos, manifested by rings of man-made light and natural lightning.
The images are actually compilations of several exposures, totaling 10 to 15 minutes. But it's not as simple as clicking the shutter and letting it go.
"With modern digital cameras, 30 seconds is about the longest exposure possible, due to electronic detector noise effectively snowing out the image," he explained via Johnson Space Center mission controllers. "To achieve the longer exposures, I do what many amateur astronomers do. I take multiple 30-second exposures, then ‘stack' them using imaging software, thus producing the longer exposure."
During Petit's last trip to the space station, he made a name for himself in photography circles by using spare parts to construct a 'barn door tracker' -- a special tripod for a camera that compensated for the motion of the ISS, allowing for sharper nighttime photography of the earth's surface at night.
Wednesday, May 15 2013 9:43 PM EDT2013-05-16 01:43:06 GMT
An unmanned Atlas V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Wednesday, hauling the latest GPS satellite into orbit for the military.
An unmanned Atlas V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Wednesday, hauling the latest GPS satellite into orbit for the military.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 5:11 PM EDT2013-05-14 21:11:26 GMT
During his five months in space, Canadian astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield captivated the Twitterverse with photo after photo of our home planet, taken from orbit.
During his five months in space, Canadian astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield captivated the Twitterverse with photo after photo of our home planet, taken from orbit.
Monday, April 22 2013 11:43 AM EDT2013-04-22 15:43:20 GMT
A company contracted by NASA to deliver supplies to the International Space Station successfully launched a rocket from the Virginia coast in a test of its ability to send a cargo ship aloft.
A company contracted by NASA to deliver supplies to the International Space Station successfully launched a rocket from the Virginia coast in a test of its ability to send a cargo ship aloft.
Friday, February 1 2013 10:09 AM EST2013-02-01 15:09:40 GMT
Space shuttle Atlantis is nearing its transition to a retired shuttle orbiter, prepped for display at Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex. Here's a look inside the famous spacecraft.
Space shuttle Atlantis is nearing its transition to a retired shuttle orbiter, prepped for display at Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex. Here's a look inside the famous spacecraft.
Wednesday, December 5 2012 2:55 PM EST2012-12-05 19:55:44 GMT
We often think of Earth as a 'blue marble' floating in the vacuum of space, but a new series of images released by NASA show it as a 'black marble' -- with the outlines of cities aglow at nighttime.
We often think of Earth as a 'blue marble' floating in the vacuum of space, but a new series of images released by NASA show it as a 'black marble' -- with the outlines of cities aglow at nighttime.
Wednesday, September 19 2012 2:13 PM EDT2012-09-19 18:13:45 GMT
Shuttle Endeavour soared into the Florida sky for the last time early Wednesday, but it wasn't on a mission into space. NASA's youngest orbiter is instead on a cross-country ferry ride that will end at a California museum.
Space shuttle Endeavour soared into the Florida sky for the last time early Wednesday, but it wasn't on a mission into space. NASA's youngest orbiter is instead on a cross-country ferry ride that will end at a California museum.
Space shuttle Atlantis found a hole in the clouds and launched into history on Friday, dazzling hundreds of thousands of spectators who mobbed Florida's coast to see the program's final flight.
Space shuttle Atlantis found a hole in the clouds and launched into history on Friday, dazzling hundreds of thousands of spectators who mobbed Florida's coast to see the program's final flight.
Space shuttle Endeavour soared into the sky for the last time Monday morning, delighting a crowd of hundreds of thousands of spectators as it created a bright but brief second sunrise.
Space shuttle Endeavour soared into the sky for the last time Monday morning, delighting a crowd of hundreds of thousands of spectators as it created a bright but brief second sunrise.
Space shuttle Discovery shook off months of delays and even a last-second glitch with a spectacular launch – a bittersweet moment for NASA as its most experienced spacecraft blasted into orbit for the last time.
Space shuttle Discovery shook off months of delays and even a last-second glitch with a spectacular launch – a bittersweet moment for NASA as its most experienced spacecraft blasted into orbit for the last time.
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NASA image
